Telangana Education Department issues guidelines for reopening of schools, colleges

Hyderabad: The State education department on Tuesday issued a set of guidelines following the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) notified by the Centre to prepare an action plan for the reopening of schools and colleges in the State.

Special Chief Secretary of Education Chitra Ramachandran has issued a set of guidelines. Accordingly, each district will have a 9-member District-Level Education Monitoring Committee (DLEMC) headed by the District Collector.

The DLEMC will have District Collector as its chairman and Project Officer, ITDA, DMHO, Municipal Commissioner, DPO, DIEO, DEO, identified principles from collegiate education, other officers as its members.

The DLEMC is entrusted with the making of action plan for the reopening of schools and colleges. In the preparation of the action plan, it has to cover the logistic plan, medical plan and sanitisation plan following the SOP issued by the Centre. Also the University Grants Commission in the case of colleges.

Each principal and headmaster of the school have been asked to come up with a customised action plan of seating, medical, logistics and sanitation and submit the same to the DLEMC.

The guideline noted that it applies to the students of classes 9 and 10, Intermediate first and second years, degree and post-graduate and all the technical educational institutions. There will not be any classes to the students from Classes 1 to 8. Besides, the parents' consent is mandatory for the students to attend the schools.

The digital and social media drive instruction will continue, and there will not be any minimum attendance criteria for attending examinations for the current academic year.

The DLEMC will prepare an action plan for re-opening of schools and colleges from February 1 and the same has to be submitted by January 18, marking a copy to the HoDs concerned.

Special care is stressed in the case of government education hostels of social, tribal, BC and minority welfare departments. The sanitization plan includes proper cleaning of all the facilities like furniture, equipment, libraries ensure sufficient airflow in indoor space. The Principal and HM should ensure that key supplies like contact-less infrared calibrated digital thermometers, disinfectants etc. Private schools are asked to sanitise school and college transportation.

As part of the logistics plan, the institutions have to maintain at least six feet distance between students in the revised seating plan of the Union Ministry of Health and students seating should be marked for occupying.

As part of the medical plan, at least two isolation rooms should be earmarked in each school and college for any Covid related emergencies with necessary supplies and DMHO to freely monitor ensuring that sufficient sanitisers are made available. The action plan should be in place in case of suspected Covid case is found. As per the SOP as to how to deal with such incidents including immediate isolation, protection to other students, necessary and medical attention to be received, with dedicate staff etc. is to be prepared in consultation with DMHO by each principal and headmaster.

No outsiders are allowed on the campus and physical distance should be maintained in the staff rooms and at the entry and exit points.

No political meetings functions are allowed in all the educational institutions without permission of District Collectors and the instructions apply to all the educational institutions in all the sectors in Telangana.